ECape spends over R87 million on catering: DA

Democratic Alliance spokesman Bobby Stevenson said in a statement the provincial government spent R87.2m on catering in the 2012/13 financial year.

The Eastern Cape government has spent over R87 million on catering, with certain departments spending more on catering than staff development, the DA said on Thursday.

"In contrast, the amount spent on staff development was R95.9m, according to a DA analysis of the latest annual reports of departments," he said.

"In a province where departments consistently blame capacity problems for poor service delivery, it is scandalous that almost the same amount is spent on catering as on staff development... We should be developing minds, not stomachs."

Premier Noxolo Kiviet's office was not immediately available for comment.

Stevenson said certain departments spent more on catering than on staff development. These included local government (R3.3m on catering versus R1.8m on staff development), social development (R7m versus R3.5m), the premier's office (R4.9m versus R1.1m), and the provincial legislature (R6.9m versus R1.4m).

"The department of education spent a whopping R39.4m on catering and R40.2m on staff development," he said.

"All these figures illustrate that provincial departments have got their priorities wrong. This province requires a highly capacitated civil service that can deliver quality services."

Stevenson said he would ask the departments follow-up questions to establish the nature of their catering spending.

The DA would also ask how much money the Eastern Cape spent at franchised fast food outlets and restaurants.

This followed reports that Northern Cape premier Sylvia Lucas used her official credit card to spend R53,159 on fast food during her first 10 weeks in office.